I am entirely self-taught

Every african wildlife painting uncompromisingly expresses my honest emotion and inherent love for the African bush, nature, the smells, sounds of the insects, etc.

• Meticulous attention to detail, the purity of realism and conspicuous depth of knowledge in my subject matter. I am unique in my approach to painting, I straddle the line of photorealism with a masterly painting style
• Love for 'fine detail' and the 'little extras' that make each painting special and unique
• Main subject and the background are all connected - they are integral parts of a whole or complete idea - nothing is dislocated or separate

The Art of Edgar Val Odendaal

I was blessed to have grown up on a large ranch in the wildlife paradise of Kenya, where there was an abundance of wildlife. I developed a natural love - almost a passion - for the animals and countryside that surrounded me. Because of this interaction it was natural to start studying the behaviour and habits of the animals encountered. Combined with an inborn artistic talent, sketching and painting all that was around me was a natural progression.

As a young schoolboy my strong point was always art! I distinctly remember the art teacher entrusting the art room keys to my friend and me; allowing us access to these facilities in our free time.

During school holidays our family frequently went on camping trips. This was done in the 'old safari style', setting up tents in the bush or the wild, for a stay of two or sometimes three weeks at a time.  We would take all the equipment we needed with us and were therefore self-contained. Sometimes we would take other people with us, or from time to time friends would come to visit for a weekend or stay for a few days. I have many pleasant memories of these trips and of the happy times we spent out in the african bush on 'safari'.

I relocated to South Africa many years ago, and now reside in the picturesque countryside of the Lowveld of Mpumalanga, on the fringes of the world-renowned Kruger National Park. This perfect setting and close proximity to the african bushveld provides me with an abundance of subject matter and material right on my doorstep.

Treaining and Presentation

I have never had any 'formal' art training, but have developed the inborn, God-given talent by self-study, experimentation, copious reading and attending any art workshops that I am able to. I read any art magazine, book or publication that comes my way and regularly visit art websites on the Internet. I also communicate with other artists that I have come to know, and in this way continually keep abreast of developments in the art-world.

My passion has always been for african wildlife and its environment: the fauna and flora of the African bush. All the various elements form part and parcel of the overall scene and need to be seen as interacting elements blending into the creative image, portraying them in as natural a form as possible.

'Fine and tight' is the way I like to paint, presenting the subject in as detailed a manner as possible. Most paintings are based on personal observation and ideas gleaned from the many photographs that I have taken.

Where many artists start with a rough sketch in pencil on paper and then transfer this to the canvas, inspiration for me comes from planning everything around the main character, painting the animal directly onto the canvas and allowing the rest of the painting to develop according to the stance and the mood of the animal portrayed.

The composition is drawn from observation and what goes through my creative mind at the time, combined with the knowledge gained over years of close study of what is going on around me.

I have a large well-equipped studio, the equipment having been acquired over a long period of time, as and when I had need for each item. My easel, which I designed and built, is, I believe, 'one of a kind'! It can swivel 360o , expand up, down or sideways to accommodate any size painting. It also provides access to the painting from any angle, which is extremely useful when concentrating on fine and intricate detail.

Influence

I have been influenced by a number of wildlife artists over the years, but one in particular - the late Simon Combes - in my estimation, remains one of the finest wildlife artists the world has ever seen.
He was, and still is, a great inspiration to me. He lived and grew up in the same country, area and environment as I did, and his attention to detail in all his paintings is phenomenal.

I am able to identify with his love for detail and precision in his works and this is possibly what attracts me.